Rally Reports
Bembridge Rally Report – 8th, 9th &10th May 2016
Following a very enjoyable and well attended mid-summer, mid-week rally to Bembridge last year, it was decided to repeat the event. With a rally already arranged for June, and the ‘tide factor’ for Bembridge to consider, mid-week did not work so a longer rally starting on Sunday 8th with a dinner on Monday 9th at Brading Haven Yacht Club was organised to enable more people to attend, with an option to stay on until Wednesday 10th. Sunday was glorious; sunshine and a good wind meant a very enjoyable sail to Bembridge. Nine boats, ten if Moonshine Blues for lunch is included, attended on Sunday. Catering options are limited on Sunday nights so Pam & Andy on Ariam and Lorraine & Richard on Suive cooked a main course to follow the pontoon drinks & canapes and everyone else contributed to the meal by bringing desserts, cheese and chocolates, which were consumed by 17 of us on Suive! A huge thank you to the Verdons for their hospitality on Ariam and to everyone for their contributions. It was great to meet newcomers Gill & Jeremy Thallon on Sunfish and ‘returners’ Jean & Paul Clark on Freebird. Andy Horwood took the ‘official’ photo for posterity.
On Monday, Asante and Ariam left and Maxima and Leda of Hamble arrived. The weather was not so good on Monday but we all enjoyed the day – walking, cycling, touring IOW by bus and sailing on Baldur, courtesy of William Avery. In the evening we gathered for another pontoon party to welcome the new arrivals, before taking the water taxi to Brading Haven Yacht Club, which opened specially for us, for dinner. Once again we were well looked after.
Tuesday was foggy at sea but Baldur, Leda, Out of the Blue and Sunfish set off for home whilst Freebird, Maxima, Neroli, Suive and Walk of Life stayed on for another day. All reached their home berth safely.
The rally was a great success and enjoyed by all. 11 yachts (12 if Moonshine Blues is included) attended. Although MOA’s rallies are usually a weekend event, it seems there is a place for events during the week.
Yarmouth Rally, September 12th 2015.
The sun shone on the MOA on Saturday 12th in what proved to be a bright but windy day. Several boats arrived early to enjoy a wander around Yarmouth-always a pleasant way to spend a few hours! Continue reading
Dartmouth Rally?
Solent members venturing down to the West Country recently. Lookin Foor Kloos (Nick and Julian Trimming) and Out of the Blue (Bill and Sue McFarlane) rafted up on 8th July at Dartmouth…..was this a Dartmouth Rally?
Bembridge Rally Report
17 &18th June
This was an innovation for the Solent Section of the MOA, a mid-week rally to coincide with midsummer, and the season certainly smiled on us with warmth, sunshine, good breezes and only five minutes of very light rain at 0700 on the 18th! Nine boats, (Morfran, Lookin for Kloos, Blue Lightning, Maxima, Fenix Flyer, Suive, Leda of Hamble, Neroli & Walk of Life. Eighteen owners and crew participants with many spending the afternoon walking in the delightful environment of the Duver and adjacent coast, before assembling for the “pontoon party” in the evening. This was hosted by Richard and Lorraine Sams on Suive who had organised the social events and Peter and Joan Lloyd on Walk of LIfe . Conversation and wine flowed as did a stream of wonderful canapes from Suive’s galley. Suitably warmed up, we were taken by water taxi to the Brading Haven Yacht Club where we were given a very friendly welcome by a club member and then served an excellent dinner by Tara and her catering team. Ten o’ clock saw us back on the water taxi, although a few chose to walk back in the last of the ebbing light. We hope that the obvious success of the event will confirm it as an annual one but with even more boats attending next year.
Dinner at Brading Haven Yacht Club
Waiting for the water taxi
RALLY TO SOUTHSEA MARINA
16TH & 17TH MAY
In an otherwise indifferent May we were blessed with a sunny weekend for this first visit to Southsea by the MOA. Pictured above is the pontoon get together prior to eating at the Bombay Bay restaurant with its excellent modern Bangladeshi cuisine .
Sign up for the next rally
The next rally is to Bembridge on Wednesday 17th and Thursday 18th June (H.W. 1249 &1337 4.6m.) to coincide with the long hours of daylight and the less congested more relaxed atmosphere before the boats start piling in on Friday. Four boats have already signed up and we hope that more of you will take the time off to spend a couple of days in this delightful spot. Our hosts for the event will be Richard and Lorraine Sams of Suive (extreme right in picture)
If you are interested please contact Graham Bremer at grahambarry00@gmail.com who is coordinating the event.